UK – Mike Hammer, a former senior consultant at Hewitt, has been appointed principal in Mercer Human Resource Consulting’s retirement business.

Hammer, 38, has started his new position with immediate effect and reports to unit head Jonathan Bernstein.

He is not replacing anyone, according to a Mercer spokesperson who added: “We are selectively recruiting good candidates when they come up.”

Based in London, he will provide actuarial and employee benefits advice to a portfolio of clients, including employers and pension fund trustees.

Hammer, with 17 years of experience in the pension fund industry, worked for two years within Hewitt’s retirement practice. Before this, he was an actuary at Towers Perrin.

According to Hewitt, there is no direct replacement for Hammer.

However, the appointment last month of Mercer’s Jonathan Gainsford to the role of consultant was regarded as a “boost” for its retirement team.

Gainsford, 40, was at Mercer for 19 years before leaving at the end of September.

In other news, National Australia Group’s Mark Jaffray has been appointed senior investment consultant for Hymans Robertson.

Jaffray, who is not replacing anyone at Hymans, started at the beginning of November, and is based in Glasgow.

According to a Hymans spokesperson, he is an additional recruit in a growing investment practice and has extensive DC experience.

Jaffrey will report to senior investment consultant Scott Donaldson, and won’t head up any team.

While at NAG, he was responsible for a number of investment roles, including the design of its defined contribution offering and the oversight of the investment managers in NAG’s UK manager of managers product.

Jaffray was also trustee of NAG’s DC scheme.

“We are delighted to have recruited someone with Mark’s expertise and ‘hands on’ experience,” said Hymans partner and investment practice manager John Dickson.

Jaffray has not been replaced by anyone. According to an NAG spokesperson, his responsibilities were absorbed by the remaining four members of his team.

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